Ending Nostalgia
by dalevelk
Summary: After Mai abandons Zuko for reasons explained, Zuko turns to harmful alternates. Sokka has a secret involving Zuko of his own. Modern times of course!
1. Three Seconds

"Zuko, calm down" Sokka said softly, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. I can't calm down – I won't. Mai had trapped me in a brutal reality and I wasn't bearing. The thoughts and feelings that made themselves present in my mind weren't pleasant, I felt as if I were dying. I started to argue with Sokka, our voiced getting increasingly louder and our words more cutting until he shouted,

"Enough!"

I gave myself three seconds before I started screaming, twisting against Sokka as he held me back, held me back from correcting whatever it was I'd done wrong, held me back as the love of my life walked away without a care. And in those three seconds I did three things. I vowed my love to Mai. I apologised to her. And begged to whatever deity was listening to bring her back.

Three seconds wasn't enough.


	2. A friendly Face

_One month later. _

Lifting my face to the source of the water, I frowned. I would usually find the cool raindrops on my eyelids refreshing, and mainly they were, but they were slightly filling me with annoyance. This is my most favoured way to experience water, standing in a place where the rain could help me block out all of reality by blurring my senses and making me feel alive all at once. Here I can't drown; I can only be in peace.

I was distracted enough by my own sorrowful thoughts not to notice

Putting more of my weight onto the window pane so I could lean further into the rain, I didn't realise how distracted by my own sorrowful thoughts until they were interrupted by somebody knocking on the door of my house below. Aggravated, I snapped without hesitation.

"Whoever you are, get out of here."

Still with my eyes closed I stepped backward and crouched back into my room. Just as I put my hands on the window to close it as if it would also close all connection with the outside world, I opened my eyes and noticed who made the aggravating knock.

Sokka.

Inhaling with a small amount of what I can only call excitement (however, I feel that that is the wrong word) I waved to signal I was on my way downstairs to let him in.


	3. I value our friendship

Sokka POV

Usually I wouldn't dare to turn up on Zuko's door step uninvited when he was in such a state. He hadn't shown his face for over a month and I was what Toph would describe as _overly worried._ What would she know?

Then the door creaked open and there he stood, the man who had been causing me so much emotional strife. Zuko cracked an awkward smile. Two insignificant dimples were present in retaliation to the corners of his lips arching upwards just enough to express the emotion Zuko was trying to achieve, but not enough to show teeth.

My eyes were almost at a water, I hadn't seen Zuko smile in so long and it shook me; almost making me dizzy. I had to think of something to say – something that would keep Zuko's attitude like it was and didn't turn it into a downfall of anger.

Zuko beat me to it. "You're getting wet."

Scratching the back of my neck in an awkward fashion I shuffled inside behind Zuko. His house was truly amazing. Every small detail was left looking untouched since the day Ursa disappeared, supposedly a way of coping. Absentmindedly my eyes were following a delicate golden trimming around the base of the walls of the abode as my feet followed Zuko's. I gained my concentration with a _thump_ of my butt, followed by a noticeable change of scenery. We were no longer at the entrance of the home, Zuko had lead me to the living room and made himself comfortable with my legs on his lap.

Relaxing into my position as Zuko was surfing television channels; I couldn't help but just; stare. His was complexion was lighter in comparison to the last time I had seen him in the flesh. It contrasted with his dark hair beautifully. And judging from this angle, Zuko may have even lost a few pounds. Astonishingly our eyes met, unnoticed by me at first. Simply, Zuko half smiled and sighed.

"Mai used to look at me like that, you know. Her eyes lit up the same way and everything." Chuckling and turning back to the television, I couldn't help but notice something was different about Zuko. He seemed more up-beat. Looking down and placing his hands on my legs, there was a sudden change in his tone. "What do you think of me Sokka, be honest with me."

Well fuck. What was I supposed to say to that? "What do you mean?" the words stumbled passed my lips and my index fingers were tapping together nervously. Was Zuko implying I had feelings for him?

"You know exactly what I mean."

Oh fuck, he was. I didn't rehears this conversation, I had no certainty that Zuko wouldn't lash out violently if I said something wrong. But seeing as I had no clue what to tell the puzzled teen who was playing with the cuffs of my jeans, I winged it. "I value our friendship Zuko." Big mistake. Snapping his head towards me, Zuko's lips parted in an anything but subtle way as if to say _are you fucking kidding me? _

Sitting up slightly and straightening my back I opened my heart in attempt to right my wrong choice of words, which is something I can only do when Zuko is around. "I can't tell you what I think of you, because I value our friendship."

Obviously taking this the wrong way, I folded my legs after Zuko savingly through them off of him.

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean? Cut the bullshit and be honest with me, Sokka." Zuko's eyes were squinted up and puffy from holding back his watering eyes and I couldn't bare to visualise what he'd look like if I didn't fix what my stupid mouth had started.

"I think you're beautiful." I shrugged forward and bowed my head. "You're the only person I've ever found myself genuinely attracted to. I could go in-depth and list all of your qualities that I find fucking perfect but I can't because" pausing, I lifted my head slightly until my eyes met Zuko's. "I value our friendship."


	4. Reality hits the hardest

Zuko POV

I knew Sokka was being genuine, but this is wrong. I can't feel like this.

"Go home."

Huffing in a confused tone I shoved myself from Sokka's presence in an unpleasant manor and began walking upstairs.

"No, Zuko! Wait, you don't understand!" Sokka was up on his feet and chasing my every step.

Trying my absolute best to shut out the almost whimpering pleads from my closest friend I continued to walk as casually as possible into my bedroom, half slamming the door behind me as a warning.

"Go home." I stood completely still just in front of my closed door. On the other side I heard the skidding of cotton as Sokka slid down my door and sat on the floorboards.

Without moving an inch I could swear I'd never felt closer to Sokka. Not necessarily physically, but the emotional part was spot on. Scared out of my wits at the thought of even being attracted another guy I frantically spat to the boy on the other side to "fuck off". Obviously ignoring me Sokka didn't make a stir.

Neither of us made a sound for quite some time until Sokka decided he wanted to break the silence. "You don't have to love me back, Zuko. I never expected you to." Sighing and collecting himself, Sokka's sigh indicated he had had enough of the situation we had both created. "See you round I guess."

I spoke. "No you won't."


	5. He laughed

AUTHOR NOTES

Yeah um hi~ I know, I havnt been posting. Darn writers block. I'm trying to make these chapters as well written as possible but it just doesn't seem to be happening D: try and enjoy!

Sokka POV

The rain hadn't lit up, and gave no indication that it was going to anytime soon. Taking that into consideration I unwillingly stepped outside of Zuko's home, a place I would most likely never be welcome again, and started trudging through the rain. _Look what you've done Sokka, you could have just bullshited you way through what situation. You shouldn't have said a thing. _My mind was against me and the gloomy weather couldn't do anything but remind me of Zuko. It was a 45 minute walk home on a good day, and I was just praying no roads were flooded and I wouldn't be stranded in town.

The number of cars belting past me blended together, so what happened next I was unprepared for.

Zuko.

He pulled his car up beside me. Maroon with gold trimming, a remake of his home family home. "Hey." His voice was higher than the usual unenthusiastic tone. Those golden eyes of his were more like honey then fire when he spoke, and that was incredibly rare. I stood beside him, utterly drenched, as he was seated without a speck of water. Breaking eye contact Zuko reached over to the passenger seat and clicked open the door. "Get in; I'm taking you to your house to get some stuff and you're staying with me for a while."

This was an opportunity I wasn't passing up. Almost diving into the seat beside Zuko, the water from my body in collaboration with the faux leather seat covers of Zuko's car did **not** feel good.

Time passed faster in a car, and within a few moments we were pulling into my drive way and walking through my front door. My house was nothing compared to Zuko's. The outside was light blue and in need of a coat of paint, Katara complained about it constantly but I thought it looked cool. Most of our furniture was from garage sales and was a chocolaty brown which contrasted with our while walls.

"Sokka? Is that you?" a voice came from the kitchen, with an annoyed tone I might add.

Frolicking to the kitchen, nose pointed to the direction of the beautiful smell of steak. Dinner. Katara was seated with an unlikely friend next to her, and this 'friend' was eating the steak that was rightfully mine! "Excuse me Toph, but I believe you are unaware of how things work around here." I stated, hands crossed over my chest.

"Ponytail please" she took carefully placed another piece of the meat that was destined to be with me into her mouth with the manners her parents thought her. Then in a split second, she discarded those manners and began chatting with her mouth full and her feet on the table. "You know as well as I do that if you're not home when dinner calls, I'll take your place. Plus Zuko said I could, so go cry at his house while I eat that pie in the fridge."

I was infuriated with the current situation I was unaware of Zuko pulling me away with a bag in his hands. Dumping them into mine as I turned to Katara, who hadn't said a thing. "And why are you so calm?"

"Well seeing as you weren't going to be here I didn't want to waste money; and Toph just turned up so it was a great opportunity." She smiled.

"Azula is on her way. Come on Sokka." Zuko called from the door.

"Azula!?" Katara was not calm anymore, she was anything but.

"Relax Sugarqueen. I'm here to keep the piece" Toph responded.

This was our queue to leave. The drive home was slightly awkward. _How long is a while? Why am I even staying at Zuko's?_

"You're nervous aren't you?" Zuko seemed to answer my thoughts.

"Yeah, I mean an hour ago I could swear you'd send an army after me."

Zuko laughed. **Laughed.** _ Ok, what's going on._

"Yeah, you took me by surprise. Here" he handed me a tightly compacted piece of paper that was old and dirty, with small holes in the folds. Leaving me alone in the car with my thoughts and this rugged piece of material I was unsure of what had been handed to me. I began to unfold the paper, when out from my grasp, Zuko who was hanging in through the window, had snatched it away. "I changed my mind" he cracked a smile.


	6. Unzip

ZUKO POV

I had no idea what I thought I was doing. I was now thinking of Sokka in a way I'd never thought of him before. Actually, I guess it had crossed my mind a few times, but I'd never considered it properly. Sokka was making his way upstairs to put his things away when I decided to take advantage of the time I had alone. It was about 7:30 and I had left over spaghetti in the fridge from a takeaway joint. Reheating enough from us both, I was just in time.

Sokka came and sat on the opposite side of the bench and rested his chin in his hands. "Ahh, the smell of love." he referred to the smell of food, quite obviously by his dreamy eyes staring at the plates. Taking the food I had prepared for Sokka, I must have filled it too much, because instead of placing the plate on the bench in front of him, the spaghetti had spilt all over his navy sweat pants.

_Zuko you fuck up. Way to be smooth. _"Sorry." I was standing still, unmoved from the position I had spilled the spaghetti in.

"It's fine, let's just get some Asian food. I could go for some fried rice right about now anyway. Let me just change first though." Sokka didn't seem to mind that I have just showered him in pasta and meat balls. I however did.

Whilst cleaning up the mess I happened to create, Sokka brought it to my attention abruptly that I forgot to pack something vital.

"How do you just forget pants?!" Sokka exclaimed, arms flaring. He was standing right in front of me in full view. His white tank top suited his minimally tones body perfectly. Not to mention the fact that his underwear were quite noticeable as well.

Calmly and without saying a word I began to unzip my trousers.

"What are you doing?" Sokka asked, not too sure what to do with himself.

"Well it's going to be awkward if you're the only one half naked." Stepping out of my pants and placing them on the bench, I smiled. I was going for a 'slightly-badass-yet-still-cute' look but somehow I'm pretty sure I just looked stupid.

"You're right, this is better. MUCH better. How do you expect us to get diner without pants?" Sokka threw himself onto the floor and crossed his legs. "I'm a growing boy, you know."


End file.
